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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. march — music
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. root — the cause
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. march — the month
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bore — to drill
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. root — of a word
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bay — a horse colour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com